Chapter 409: Soaring Seventy Thousand Miles

Emperor Yanfeng suddenly felt as if his own cabbage patch had been ravaged by a wild boar, only for the boar to return and ravage it again. He quickly struggled to his feet, about to stop the young couple, when several deer demons approached and firmly pressed him down, compelling him to sit.

A female deer demon held a few flowers, motioned for the emperor to stay still, and then adorned his head with the brightly colored blossoms.

Next, merfolk arrived, distributing noisy red fruits. A cluster of these fruits clamored loudly in the fruit bowl, quite a startling sight.

Tree demons, with stern faces, patrolled the sickbeds. Anyone who wasn't compliant received a whip to the backside. Instantly, the various martial arts masters, along with the emperor and empress dowager, quieted down considerably.

As soon as the demons finished their rounds, the emperor was about to rush over and intervene with the young couple. The empress dowager, however, said languidly, "Emperor, spare yourself the trouble. Children and grandchildren have their own fortunes. Why do you fret so much? Aren't you worried that Xiu'er won't find a husband in the future?"

Emperor Yanfeng quickly replied, "Your Majesty, you may not be aware, but dual soul cultivation carries significant risks and is only suitable for a married couple. If Xiu'er and he engage in dual soul cultivation, their souls will resonate, reaching spiritual bliss together. Then, if she marries later, she won't be able to achieve soul resonance with her prince consort; their spirits won't connect. Without that resonance, there's no true feeling! If she lacks the joy of soul resonance, she could even be divorced and sent back home after marriage!"

The empress dowager laughed, "Just make him the prince consort, is there any need for such a fuss? Moreover, who would dare divorce an imperial princess?"

Emperor Yanfeng fell silent for a moment, then said, "Mother, he is the Heavenly Devil Cult Master, and also the Human Emperor. I am not entirely at ease."

The empress dowager also grew silent, understanding his underlying concerns.

The Heavenly Devil Cult Master wielded immense power.

While the emperor held the greatest power within the imperial court, the Heavenly Devil Cult Master commanded the most significant influence across the martial arts world. The Heavenly Devil Cult's power had permeated every corner of the martial arts community and even the imperial court. Especially after Qin Mu became the current Heavenly Devil Cult Master, the cult's prosperity surged, exceeding its historical zenith.

Both the Dao Sect and the Great Thunderclap Temple had been severely weakened by Qin Mu and the imperial court, rendering them incapable of rivaling the Heavenly Devil Cult. Furthermore, the court's reform efforts required the assistance of the Heavenly Devil Cult members, leading many of its skilled practitioners to enter official service.

In the Yankang nation, the Heavenly Devil Cult's influence stretched from the lowest to the highest echelons of society.

Beyond this, Qin Mu proved far more enlightened than either the Dao Master or the Buddha. He reformed the Heavenly Devil Cult, established schools, and adopted the National Master's reform strategies, ensuring a continuous supply of talent for the cult.

In just two years as Cult Master, Qin Mu had instigated such monumental changes, causing considerable concern for both the emperor and empress dowager.

Even more troubling was the multitude of powerful individuals surrounding Qin Mu, coupled with his identity as the Human Emperor. Should he ever produce the Human Emperor Seal, it was feared that even the Dao Sect, the Great Thunderclap Temple, and Little Jade Capital would be compelled to follow his directives!

This prospect was indeed terrifying.

From this perspective, Qin Mu was certainly not the ideal candidate for a prince consort.

If Qin Mu were to become a prince consort, it would be alarmingly easy for his relatives to seize power.

This was precisely Emperor Yanfeng's concern: while he remained on the throne, Qin Mu couldn't usurp power, but in his absence, the empire could change hands in the blink of an eye!

Unbeknownst to them, the naive child who arrived in Yankang two years ago had transformed into a formidable tiger, capable of battling dragons—a truly frightening development.

Even if Qin Mu himself harbored no thoughts of seizing power, what about the next Heavenly Devil Cult Master?

Who could guarantee that the subsequent Heavenly Devil Cult Master, having inherited such vast power from Qin Mu, wouldn't set their sights on the throne?

"As an emperor, you certainly should not entrust imperial power to the mercy of others. You have acted correctly."

The empress dowager continued, "But why do I still detect hesitation in you? You are wary of Cult Master Qin, yet you indulge him, which is uncharacteristic of you. To implement reforms with the Yankang National Master, you even condoned him poisoning me, leaving me bedridden for years, unable to intervene in court affairs. Such ruthlessness is truly befitting an emperor of my Ling family."

Filled with guilt, Emperor Yanfeng replied, "Indeed, I tacitly allowed Fu Yuanqing to poison you, Mother. Had I not, your influence in the court would have been too substantial, making it difficult for the National Master and me to consolidate power. Your unfilial son could only ask you to withdraw for a time. Even if beloved Qin hadn't emerged, I would have instructed Fu Yuanqing to remove the poison from you once I had fully secured power."

The empress dowager sighed, "You have done very well; you are truly my own son, even more ruthless than I was in my younger days. So why, then, have you not acted against Cult Master Qin?"

Emperor Yanfeng fell silent, then spoke hoarsely, "I am afraid. I fear that the National Master and I might fail, and failure would mean utter annihilation. The destiny of this nation and the lives of its common people cannot solely rest on me, nor on my Ling family alone. I need an successor who can continue the reforms should the National Master and I fail. The Ling family lacks such an individual, but the Heavenly Devil Cult Master is precisely that person."

The empress dowager gazed intently at his face, then sighed, "I never imagined my son would be this kind of person. I have underestimated you. Emperor, let Xiu'er be with beloved Qin. If you believe he can succeed you, then let Xiu'er be with him. My Ling family will not be extinguished, even if you and the National Master were to fail."

Emperor Yanfeng felt a subtle shift in his heart. He carefully considered the implications of her words and nodded in silence.

"You are a good emperor, and the National Master is also a good one."

The empress dowager gazed calmly at the distant mountains veiled in a gentle mist and softly remarked, "I will no longer oppose you. This world, you may change it as boldly as you wish; these laws, you may alter them freely. I will retreat into these mountains and contend with these audacious young women who vie with me for my paramour!"

Emperor Yanfeng's face darkened once more. He stammered, "Mother, consider the royal dignity."

The empress dowager basked serenely in the sun, a half-smile playing on her lips. "You are a filial son, aren't you concerned about your old mother's happiness in her later years? I lay on that sickbed for so many years, knowing full well it was your and the National Master's doing, yet have I ever uttered a single complaint to you? Now, I have only this one desire; please let me pursue it. Contending with these brazen young women is my final pleasure."

Emperor Yanfeng remained silent for a moment, then nodded. "Mother, do you require my assistance in eliminating your rivals?"

"I ascended to my current position through countless trials in the imperial harem. Do you truly think I still need your help? You underestimate me far too much."

By the lake at the manor, Qin Mu took out an incense stick, placed it on the bank, and lit it. Ling Yuxiu, smelling the unusual fragrance, asked curiously, "What is this incense stick for?"

"This is a soul-guiding incense," Qin Mu replied.

Qin Mu smiled, "I infused the rune marks of the Soul-Tethering Incantation into this incense stick and also added over a hundred types of spices. While it doesn't possess the full divine power of the incantation, it can guide us. If our primeval spirits get lost, once this incense burns out, the power of the runes will activate, and our physical bodies, by sensing the fragrance, can draw our primeval spirits back. This way, we won't need anyone else to guard us."

Ling Yuxiu took his hand, and Qin Mu raised his other, their four hands linking together. Their eyes met, they exchanged smiles, and instantly, their primeval spirits left their bodies.

Both Qin Mu and Ling Yuxiu had prior experience with their primeval spirits leaving their bodies to traverse the void. Afterward, they each attempted to cultivate their primeval spirits, though with limited success.

This time, the two attempted to grasp the cultivation of the primeval spirit and transform a mere coincidence into a certainty, which was naturally exceedingly difficult.

Previously, during an accidental encounter with Xu Shenghua, Qin Mu, believing Xu Shenghua to be another Hegemon Body, felt a surge of excitement. This led to a coincidental experience where he and Ling Yuxiu's primeval spirits left their bodies to wander the void.

After their primeval spirits returned to their bodies, they were astonished to discover they had actually cultivated their primeval spirits—an extraordinary and coincidental turn of events.

The key now was how to transform this coincidence into a repeatable certainty.

At this moment, the young man and woman's primeval spirits once again left their bodies, traveling together as they sought to uncover the underlying principles. They felt their two primeval spirits intertwining, their souls resonating, yet this experience differed from their previous unintentional dual soul cultivation.

A primeval spirit is composed of the spirit embryo and the soul. This time, as their primeval spirits departed their bodies, their souls resonated, and the primeval spirits themselves entered a resonant state. A method of soul palpitation and tingling numbness spread throughout every corner of their primeval spirits.

This sensation was both enduring and deeply ingrained.

As they floated and journeyed through the void, they observed flowers as large as mats, though they knew not their kind, and grass like sharp swords, whose species remained a mystery. Fish and jellyfish swam through the air. The scenery was magnificent and vastly different from that of Yankang.

They wandered amidst it all, feeling incredibly small.

"Is this a real sight, or merely our illusion?" Both were enchanted and reluctant to leave.

Just then, they suddenly caught a strong, unusual scent and immediately felt an invisible force pulling them. Ling Yuxiu quickly reached out and grabbed a small fish, declaring, "Whether it's real or an illusion, we'll know once we return to our bodies and awaken!"

*Whoosh—*

The endless scenery before their eyes shifted rapidly. Suddenly, the strange phenomenon vanished, and they each returned to their physical bodies, their hands still clasped, and their eyes still locked.

Ling Yuxiu released Qin Mu's hand, only to discover a small fish vigorously flopping around in her own palm.

"It's real! How marvelous."

She bent down and, cupping the small fish in her hands, placed it in the water. The fish swam and struggled for a moment, then flipped onto its belly, nearly drowning.

Ling Yuxiu quickly splashed some water and retrieved the fish, only to see it cough forcefully, expelling water from its belly. Then, flapping its disproportionately small fins, it flew into the air.

Ling Yuxiu watched in astonishment as the little fish flew closer, then suddenly squirted water from its mouth, splashing her face.

Furious, Ling Yuxiu reached out to grab it, but the fish merely flapped its fins and flew off.

"You stinky fish!"

Ling Yuxiu washed her face, then turned back and asked curiously, "Cowherd, where exactly did we go?"

Qin Mu pondered, "It was likely the East Sea of the Great Ruins. That area was originally a vast ocean that later transformed into a basin. The seawater vanished, but the sea creatures survived. Many fish there can fly, and even flowers can take flight."

"The East Sea of the Great Ruins? How far is that from here?"

"Over seventy thousand *li*."

Ling Yuxiu gasped in shock, "We traveled seventy thousand *li* away in the time it took for one incense stick to burn, explored, and then returned?"

Qin Mu nodded, gazing intently into the distance. "It is indeed incredible to traverse seventy thousand *li* through the void in the time it takes an incense stick to burn, isn't it? Why can't our physical bodies move that quickly? How wonderful it would be if the body could achieve the speed of the primeval spirit?"

Ling Yuxiu chuckled, "Oh, you're far too greedy! Primeval spirits have no weight, so naturally, they move fast. Physical bodies have weight, so they're inherently slower. Do you have any more soul-guiding incense? This time, we were so focused on having fun that we forgot to pursue the technique for cultivating primeval spirits. We absolutely must try again."

Qin Mu savored the exquisite sensation of primeval spirit resonance, finding it quite addictive. He quickly nodded, "We must try again! This time, we cannot merely indulge in play; serious matters are at hand!"

After another incense stick had burned down, their primeval spirits returned to their bodies. Qin Mu scratched his head and tentatively asked, "Shall we try again?"

Ling Yuxiu nodded emphatically, "This time, we absolutely won't just play!"